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Nabokov, Sharks blank Coyotes again

Dec 8, 2007 - 6:05 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Evgeni Nabokov continues to render the Phoenix Coyotes powerless.

Nabokov stopped all 27 shots he faced and Milan Michalek scored the game's lone goal in the San Jose Sharks' 1-0 victory over the Coyotes on Friday in a battle of Pacific Division rivals.

The Russian goaltender recorded his fourth shutout of the season, three of which have come against Phoenix. Nabokov has not allowed a goal vs. the Coyotes in exactly 231 consecutive minutes of play.

"I don't have a recipe for stopping pucks," Nabokov said. "I'm just ready for each game and stop each puck. Some of their shots did go wide, and that happens. It's a good win, and we'll take it."

On November 15, Nabokov stopped 15 shots in a 6-0 victory. Three days earlier, he made 25 saves in a 5-0 triumph.

The only goaltender in the league to start all of his team's games this season, Nabokov stopped eight shots in the first period, seven in the second and 12 in the third period of this one en route to his 38th career blanking.

"A tough loss to swallow because we played hard," Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky said.

Michalek's goal - his ninth of the season - came with just 15 seconds remaining in the second period.

As Joe Thornton was about to skate around the back of the net, he fed Michalek in the slot. Michalek made no mistake, blasting a shot past goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov for the game's only tally.

"I was just trying to get open and get the puck," Michalek said. "(Thornton) passed the puck right when I was open. You have to be ready all of the time because you don't know when the puck is coming to you."

The assist enabled Thornton to run his points streak to five games.

The Sharks also are showing quite a knack for being on the victorious side of one-goal games of late. San Jose has now played seven consecutive one-goal affairs, winning the last four.

"We lead the league in (fewest) goals allowed, and that's for a reason," San Jose coach Ron Wilson said. "We don't give up many opportunities. Right now, we're not scoring many goals, so we have to tighten up on defense."

Bryzgalov deserved a better fate, stopping 25 shots in a losing effort. He has lost five of his last six games.

"We had a great opportunity to win and didn't do it," Phoenix captain Shane Doan said. "Plus, we wasted an outstanding effort from (Bryzgalov). Give them credit, that's a good defensive team and they played well. We played well, too."